Chapter 2184: Alone

“Creation is truly miraculous,” the beautiful woman exclaimed, though she dared not look at the Surinam toad a second time.

The toad itself was already unsightly, but its back was covered in tiny holes, enough to trigger anyone’s trypophobia.

Frost Leaf slowly opened his eyes. “Do you believe that because they are so ugly, they shouldn’t exist in this world?”

His tone was gentle, yet the beautiful woman inexplicably shivered. If she dared to utter a “yes,” it felt as though great misfortune would befall her.

“No, no!” she quickly protested. “I was just thinking that it seems not all tadpoles turn into toads. If by chance one or two don't transform, what would become of them?” She glanced briefly at the toad. There were at least sixty or seventy holes on the Surinam toad's back; surely it wouldn’t be strange for one or two offspring to fail to develop.

“A good question, a truly good question,” Frost Leaf said, lightly stroking her delicate face with satisfaction. “Then, of course, they would only face death. If they cannot even control their own lives, what good end do you imagine they could come to?”

Why had the conversation taken such a strange turn? The beautiful woman regretted it. Why had she even brought up those ugly creatures?

Fortunately, at that moment, Frost Leaf sat up. “You may leave.”

“Yes.” The beautiful woman felt as if granted a great reprieve. She quickly dressed, bowed to him, and then hastily withdrew, closing the door behind her.

After she had left the room, Frost Leaf picked up a golden ring and casually tied back his loose hair.

With no one else in the room, Xi Yunhe bowed to him. “My lord, you sent for me?”

Xi Yunhe rarely dared to look directly at him.

In terms of appearance alone, the Grand Preceptor was even more beautiful than the woman who had just left in a hurry. Even with his hair disheveled, he possessed a decadent beauty. Yet, this beauty was not vibrant; it made one feel profoundly uneasy.

Frost Leaf casually opened a hidden drawer beside the couch and pulled out a crystal bottle, handing it to him.

“Deliver this to the Thousand-Eyes Cavern on the Nantao Archipelago.”

Off the southwestern coast of Beijia lay a series of islands. One large island among them had a collapsed center, eroded by sea winds and tides, forming the Thousand-Eyes Cavern, which resembled the back of a Surinam toad.

“Yes,” Xi Yunhe replied, taking the bottle. Inside was a dark red liquid—blood.

He was already accustomed to this. Every so often, Grand Preceptor Frost Leaf would send him to secretly deliver items to various locations. Sometimes it was blood, sometimes materials, and sometimes he had no idea what the items were at all.

Xi Yunhe had spent a long time in the Qing Palace and was quite well-traveled and knowledgeable, but the things Frost Leaf sent out always broadened his horizons.

“After delivering the item, you are to retrieve the latest information on Ashmona.”

“Yes.” So that monster had been sent to the Thousand-Eyes Cavern.

Ashmona was an important demonic puppet personally modified by Cao Wendao, the master of Red Lodge. It had been captured by Bai Ziqi and brought back to Beijia. Xi Yunhe had even seen it once when it was escorted back.

A monster sculpted from mud, was that truly a demonic puppet too?

“However, Cao Wendao’s most important creation is not Ashmona, but a creature named ‘Xiaowu.’ It is currently in Dong Rui’s possession.”

Hearing the familiar name, Xi Yunhe was startled. “Dong Rui? The master of Snail Toad?”

He had dealt with Dong Rui before and had found him talented yet reclusive, but he hadn't realized how important he was.

“This person has extraordinary mastery in demonic puppetry and has made astonishing breakthroughs. However, the Heavenly Palace has never been able to capture him; the Nine Nether Emperor has hidden him very deeply.” Grand Preceptor Frost Leaf glanced at him. “But you also know Dong Rui’s weakness. Send some capable people to Cang Yan to find him.”

“After finding him?” The Heavenly Palace would also send people to find Dong Rui, so why would the Grand Preceptor go to such trouble twice?

But Xi Yunhe would only bury such questions deep in his heart, never voicing them aloud.

“After you find him, you don’t need to do anything immediately; just monitor him. I estimate that the Nine Nether Emperor has provided him with very thorough protection, so it won’t be easy for the Heavenly Palace to abduct him. After Cang Yan was established, the Nine Nether Emperor did not allow Dong Rui to take an official post. Given his temperament, he will likely be hiding somewhere in Jucheng, never seeing the light of day, and probably won't be moving around much.”

Xi Yunhe acknowledged this.

Grand Preceptor Frost Leaf put on a flame-cloud robe and sat down behind the table. Xi Yunhe instinctively stepped forward and began grinding ink for him.

The furnishings and decor in the study were as exquisite, intricate, and opulent as Grand Preceptor Frost Leaf’s robe.

There were also many unique pieces, the likes of which could not be found anywhere else. Xi Yunhe casually glanced around and noticed a potted green coral plant by the window.

The “green coral” was a land plant, not a marine one. It was named for its resemblance to coral, with delicate, antler-like branches.

However, ordinary green coral plants were a vibrant emerald green. This particular specimen had pale green, off-white, and even faint pink stripes. These stripes were semi-translucent, with a jade-like texture, like small polished windows on jade.

Xi Yunhe knew this was a variegated green coral plant. Variegation, in essence, was a sudden, uncontrollable mutation.

Because it was uncontrollable, even plants of the same species would display different colors after variegation.

Grand Preceptor Frost Leaf followed his gaze to the green coral plant and casually asked, “How are the green plum blossoms at Fenhe Laozhuang blooming?”

Xi Yunhe’s heart skipped a beat.

His visit to Laozhuang had been for personal reasons, not for a mission or official business, yet Grand Preceptor Frost Leaf knew his whereabouts perfectly.

“Only a few have bloomed; most are still buds.”

“Is that so? This kind of plum blossom is difficult to grow.” Plum blossoms in the world ranged from white and pale pink to blood red, but green was exceedingly rare.

Plants rarely had green flowers because they did not easily attract insects for pollination.

Therefore, the green plum blossom at Laozhuang was also a unique specimen.

Grand Preceptor Frost Leaf continued, “The day before yesterday was Qingyang’s birthday memorial, wasn’t it?”

“...Yes.” Laozhuang housed Qingyang’s memorial tablet, and Xi Yunhe had gone to offer incense to her.

Qingyang had died in Shanjin Plains. Laozhuang contained some of her personal effects from when she was alive, and the tablet was erected there in her memory.

Xi Yunhe spent most of a day at Laozhuang, reflecting on the past, feeling that life was like a dream.

For so many years, what had sustained him was hatred, the obsession with bringing Qingyang down. Yet, the moment he heard of Qingyang’s death, he felt no joy at all, but rather a profound sense of loss.

He drank through the night at Laozhuang.

This world, suddenly, became meaningless.

What had Qingyang been thinking in her final moments? He suddenly longed to know.

But this question was destined to remain unanswered.

“Qingyang wielded immense power at court during her lifetime, yet few still offer incense to her after her death,” Frost Leaf said, beginning to sort through documents on his desk. “You are one of the few who still remember her.”

Xi Yunhe sighed faintly. “Qingyang had no children and died alone, a solitary figure. In a way… it was rather liberating.”

For people like them, to have someone remember them and offer incense after death was already remarkable.

Frost Leaf chuckled softly, not looking up. “Isn’t that true for everyone?”

Xi Yunhe wanted to change the subject from Qingyang. “My lord, word from the north says Hong Chenglue is forming a legion in Tianyuan Mountain and has been training them for over half a year.”